Device to seal freight-car doors



N. M. CHRISTENSEN. DEVICE T0 SEAL FREIGHT CAR DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, I919.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

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NELS M. CHRISTENSEN, OF FREMONT, NEBRASKA.

DEVICE TO SEAL FREIGHT-CAR DOORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ap1a13, 1920.

Application filed July 29, 1919. Serial No. 314,025.

' at Fremont, in the county of Dodge and State of Nebraska, haveinvented a new and useful Device to Seal Freight-Car Doors,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to seals, and more particularly seals used insealing car doors.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a device of thischaracter wherein the locking elements thereof are completely housedwithin a casing, and so constructed that the locking elements may not bereached by an instrument to unlock the same, when the seal is oncelooked.

A further object of the invention is to provide a seal of this characterwhich will be absolutely secure, and one which can not be removedwithout cutting or distorting the same to render the seal inoperative,thereby indicating that the seal has been tampered with.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thiskind wherein the elements of the seal are stamped from one piece ofmetal, the locking tongues and members forming the housing beingintegral, thus simplifying the manufacture and reducing the cost ofproducing the same.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds,'the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Referring now to the drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same showing the first folding step.

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the second folding step.

Fig. 4 is a plan view after the base 8 has been folded on the side 5.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank folded to form the seal.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the seal, and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the housing includes the side plate5 which is provided with a longitudinal flange 6 formed at one edgethereof, and a flange '7 formed at one end thereof, said flanges adaptedto fold over the base 8, when the device is assembled, and ready foruse.

The base 8 includes an inwardly extending plate 9 having an integrallocking tongue 10 formed at the inner end thereof, and intermediate itswidth, said tongue extending at an angle with relation to the plate 9,and lies within the aperture 11 formed in the integral plate 12, locatedadjacent the inner end of the plate 9, said plate 12 adapted to befolded over the plate 9, and supported in spaced relation therewith.

Integral with the opposite end of the base 8, is a flange 13 adapted tobe folded inwardly under the side plate 5, and overlap one edge of theintegral plate 12, for bold ing the same against displacement within thehousing.

A relatively long shackle 14 is formed integral with the member, orplate 5, the free end thereof being bent rearwardly and angularly toprovide a tongue 15 which as shown, is apertured as at 16 to receive thetongue 10, when the free end of the shackle is positioned within thehousing.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when the tongue 15 is forcedinto the opening 17 provided at one end of the housing, the tongue 15engages behind one edge of the plate 12, to prevent the shackle frombeing moved in one direction, the aperture 16 of the tongue 15 engagingunder the tongue 10 of the plate 9, thereby preventing the shackle frombeing moved in the reversed direction.

In forming a seal of this character from a blank, it will be seen byreference to Figs. 2, 3 of the drawing, the plate 12 is folded over theplate 9, the plate 9 is then folded over the base 8 to a point so thatthe tongue 10 thereof lies within the aperture 11, and the flange 13 isthen bent inwardly into clamping engagement with the plate 12 to securethe same to the base 8.

It follows that the plate 8 is folded over on the plate 5 until theflange 6 engages the side plate 5, as shown by Fig. 4, the flange 7thereof being folded inwardly to engage the base 8, after which thelongitudinal flange 6 is inturned to closely engage the base 8, as shownby Fig. 6, thereby rigidly securing the elements of the housingtogether.

It might be further stated that the blank is formed of any suitableflexible sheet metal, whereby the same will be easily broken or renderedinoperative by persons tampering with the same.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is 1. In a seal, ahousing, a plate Within the housing, said plate having an integraltongue extending at an angle with relation thereto, a lateral platecarried by the first mentioned plate and having an opening adapted to,overlie the tongue, a flexible shackle integral with the housing, andmeans on one end of the shackle cooperating With the last mentionedplate and tongue for preventing movement of the shackle With relation tothe housing.

2. In a seal, a blank including a base, a plate formed integral with thebase and extending from one end thereof, an apertured integral flangeformed adjacent one side of the plate, a tongue formed at one end of theplate and adapted to normally lie within the confines of the aperture ofthe flange, a 2 side plate having flanges formed integral with the baseand being disposed laterally thereof, said flange and first mentionedplate adapted to be folded inwardly to be housed by the base and sideplate, and an 3 integral shackle having an aperture, the walls of theaperture and the shackle adapted to cooperate with the tongue forlocking the shackle against movement in one direction, and said shacklehaving an inturned 3 end for cooperating with the flange for preventingmovement of the shacklein the opposite direction.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signa- 4 ture in the presence of two witnesses.

NELS M. CHRISTENSEN.

\Vitnesses E SEYMO R S. SIDNER, EARL J. LEE.

